Run #7: Through the Looking Glass

[John]

(( So, this cat doesn't have eyes. Does it appear as though he is aware of Max's presence? ))

[GM Nick]

Rawhide's husky voice seeps through the comms, sounding like he's speaking from inside a wind tunnel.

<I'm relaying Milly's comms, her signal is being blocked by something. She's afraid of giving away your position, so she's going radio silent. One last message from her: Deus must be fully vested in some form before he can be destroyed, he--->

The comms emit feedback and fall silent.

[GM Nick]

(( Max is totally unnoticed, huddled in the darkness near the base of the altar. ))

[GM Nick]

The monk bows deeply.

"My most gracious deity."

He turns and moves towards a side passage--a hatch obscured by the plethora of optical cables and religious relics.

[John]

Max remains low, keeping the monk in his sights as he blinks the sweat out of his eyes. The monk passes out of view and Max gingerly follows.

[Drew Buddy]

As the scenario plays out, Doc sweeps the room with the scope, trying to get an idea of how all the equipment is put together. Perhaps he can identify a weakness.

(( Perception? Or engineering? ))

[GM Nick]

The massive sprawl of cables and equipment is far too chaotic for Doc to map out, even given a week.

[GM Nick]

Perception Test

[Perception (4) + INT (4) = 3]
4 2 3 6 5 4 6 4

Max's eyes flick back to the display as something flits across the screen.

alert_condition: (long.range.radar_array1 status 1)

[John]

Max hesitates in his pursuit of the monk and turns his attention back to the screen. Comming to the team, Max informs,

<Deus has become aware that the comm tower is in cinders.>

[GM Nick]

The monk continues through the hatch, and descends a ladder down a narrow shaft filled with steam.

[John]

Max hesitates, not wanting to leave his teammates field of view. Foolishness or bravery get the better of Max as he descends through the steam after the monk.

[Drew Buddy]

Doc grits his teeth in frustration. If he tried to follow Max, he would likely be seen, and they'd be thoroughly up a creek.

[Elliott]

A look of concern spreads across Tyros' invisible face, <"Can't follow you Max, even invisible I'll probably make too much noise. Be careful.">

<"Milly, what do you mean Deus has to be vested in some form before being destoryed? Do you mean we have to get him to 100% power?">

[GM Nick]

Max eases his way down the narrow shaft, taking the utmost care not to make much noise on the ruts. The steam, mixed with his own perspiration make the going treacherous.

After what seems like an eternity, Max reaches the bottom to find himself in the middle of a series of tunnels. Optical cables wind their way every direction, and massive cooling fans create a veritable wind tunnel.

[John]

Max listens hard for the direction in which the eyeless monk may have headed.

[GM Nick]

Perception Test (3)

[Perception (4) + INT (4) + Audio Enhancement III (3) + Environmentals (-2) = 3]
1 5 2 4 2 6 2 5 1

Despite the noise from the fans and the errant bursts of steam, Max picks up the sound of shuffling footsteps down one of the many tunnels.

[GM Nick]

Rawhide's voice sounds distorted over the comms.

<We m-- have a prob---, gu--. There --- a cou--- mi---e ba----- u- -ere.>

[John]

Max makes his way down the tunnel in pursuit of the footsteps.

[GM Nick]

The monk stops at a power station and begins running his fingertips over the touchscreen display. His non-eyes focus on nothing in particular.

[John]

Max hides in the gloom and the steam and watches the monk actively, staying clear of what he imagines to be the monk's path back to the altar.

[GM Nick]

The monk executes a final command with a flourish and stands perfectly still.

From Max's vantage point, he can see a progress bar ticking across the screen. The power station springs to life and begins to emit a reverberating hum.

As the progress bar nears completion, the man produces a ceremonial dagger from within the folds of his robes.

"Praised be the one," he murmurs... and plunges the dagger into his heart.

[John]

As Max sees the dagger, the elf rushes out from hiding and tries to reach the monk, but to no avail. The elf reaches the monk as he collapses onto the floor, unresponsive to Max's immediate presence. Max shakes the monk before turning his attention to the display. Max comms to the team,

<Monk is dead. Deus said something about needing to be invested in a single form and that the power needed to come online. Well, the power is coming up as we speak. Be ready. I'm returning to the cathedral.>

[GM Nick]

Doc and Tyros hover at the periphery of the doorway, not daring to move.

Max moves through the steam-filled tunnels, seeking the ascent to the cathedral.

Deus stirs.

"87% capacity."

[Drew Buddy]

Doc re-grips the rifle, and remains poised.

< Got it. >

He watches the large console closely, looking for any signs of change.

[John]

If Max was sweating before, the steam-filled tunnels have now taken him from 'Mexican in the desert' to 'Italian in the Amazon.'

[Elliott]

Tyros stands at the ready and switches his sight into the astral spectrum, giving his surrounding and the altar room a careful inspection.

[GM Nick]

Several of Deus' tentacles extend and make contact with the surrounding walls. The terminal alights. Huge amounts of data scrawl across the surface.

"93% capacity."

[GM Nick]

The cathedral shakes as the first few rows of pews fall into empty space. A greater part of the floor is actually the top of a cargo elevator!

[Drew Buddy]

< Max, get your ass up here! Drek is starting to get weird >

[John]

Max scrambles. There doesn't seem to be any point to stealth any longer.

[GM Nick]

Max reaches the top of the shaft and flattens himself against the hatchway.

The terminal dismounts with a grinding noise, moving by way of the tentacles that have anchored themselves to the wall. Two additional tentacles extend from behind the terminal, each equipped with what looks like an over-sized hypodermic needle.

"97% capacity."

[GM Nick]

The "floor" of the cathedral returns from its journey downward, this time harboring six cyber-zombies in up-right gurneys.

Deus' needle-tentacles hover just in front of the first pair.

"99% capacity."

[John]

The elf draws his shotgun and trains its sights on the nearest cyberzombie. His finger aches against the trigger.

[Drew Buddy]

Doc locks in the range to the cyberzombies into the grenade launcher's airburst link, and prepares to fire.

He sends a command to the Dragonfly to move along the wall, toward the console.

[GM Nick]

Deus' modulated voice almost seems to contain a hint of perverse pleasure as he announces:

"100% capacity. Engaged."


The twin tentacles extend with lightning speed, sending the needles into each respective cyber-zombie brain.